The Fashionable World Displayed

"The Fashionable World Displayed" by Rev. John Owen is a critical look at the lifestyle and ethical values of the fashionable upper class during the early 1800s. Owen uses humor and a scientific approach to break down the phoniness and conflicting ideas at the heart of this exclusive group. He paints a picture of a social scene that exists everywhere and nowhere, where people seem connected to and disconnected from the rest of society at the same time. Owen attacks their obsession with appearance and weak morals by examining this social environment, which is built on ever-changing fads and fake standards that hide a lack of genuine values, leading to conversations about the rules, principles, and ethical problems of the time.